Christians In The Public Square
24/5 (Thu 7:30pm – 9:30pm @
Prayer Hall / Cathedral New Sanctuary)
Professor Thio Li-ann
Christians are
called to spread the Gospel and to be a blessing to their communities and
societies, to be 'salt and light', which means something which may be tasted and
is visible in the public sphere. We have in our heritage the example of men like
William Wilberforce, a protestant Parliamentarian who in the pursuit of biblical
justice was a leader in the movement to abolish slavery in England, which he
considered an affront to biblical justice. God is a God of justice and His
people should reflect the concerns of His heart.
In the context of
Singapore's secular democracy and evolving political landscape, what role should
Christians, as responsible citizens, play in relation to issues of law and
public policy? The Constitution protects absolute freedom of religious
conscience to profess any faith without impediment; however the external
dimension of religious freedom, in relation to the right to practice and
propagate religion may be regulated by laws which serve 'public order, health
and morality.'
While there are laws
which seek to regulate the mixing of "religion" and "politics", these are not
self-evident terms and it is important to understand what is or is not
permissible in the Singapore context.
We will investigate both the constitutional and the
biblical framework behind the admonition of Christ to “Render
unto to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”
(Matt 22:21) We will also examine how the Christian is to relate to 'secular'
government, as set out in the Book of Romans. What do open-ended terms like
'secularism', 'tolerance' and 'pluralism' entail and which version applies in
Singapore? Specific issues to be covered include:
a) What are
the legal provisions and guidelines governing the relationship between religion
and state in Singapore? Do these require “separation” or permit “cooperation” of
religion and state? Or a mix?
b) What is
the scope of our constitutional rights to religious freedom to profess, practice
and propagate our faith?
c) What are
the rules regulating and protecting evangelism and our ability to fulfill the
Mark 16:15-18 mandate, particularly in light of recent controversies? What are
the sensitivities involved and how do we ensure we act both lawfully and
according to our conscience?
d) What is
the relationship between ‘religion’ and ‘politics’ in Singapore? How do
Christians engage effectively and with civility in politics and public life, as
responsible citizens and invested stakeholders? What are some of the obstacles
to participation in public debate, often raised by militant secularists (private
persons, not the government), and how should these be negotiated?
About the Speaker
Dr. Thio Li-ann
is Professor of Law at the
National University of Singapore where she teaches constitutional law, human
rights law and international law. She holds law degrees from Oxford, Harvard and
Cambridge and was formerly a
Nominated Member of the Singapore Parliament (Eleventh Session), where she
learnt the importance of being salt and light, while discovering the truth of
John 15:18.
As a first year law undergraduate at Keble College, Oxford, she had a Damascus
Road encounter with Jesus Christ and consequently, disavowed humanism and
nihilism, and embraced authentic Christianity in her pursuit of a life lived
after Phil 3:10-11. Her first Christian book was
Mind the Gap: Contending for
Righteousness in an Age of Lawlessness
(Armour Publishing 2009).